It is a sad fact that as of June 2025 there are over 10,000 children in foster care in the state of Arizona. These children desperately need our love and support. The Arizona Republic published these alarming statistics about the plight of foster children in Arizona from reports by Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS):
The Children’s Defense Fund reports that one child in Arizona is abused every 2 hours with child neglect the most prevalent form of child maltreatment. It is believed that once neglected and maltreated children are removed from the abusive environment they are living in, life becomes better for them and they can look forward to a “normal” childhood. This is not always the case. When a child goes into state protective custody and into foster care, a whole new world of problems opens up for them as they find themselves helpless and isolated from their family and siblings. This challenging journey through foster care often results in multiple moves that further impact the child’s healthy development through family instability, emotional trauma and inconsistent care giving.
Arizonans for Children is dedicated to improving this deplorable situation. By supporting Arizonans for Children, you can help improve the lives of these children and make our community a better place for all of us to live
Arizona Department of Health Services Child Fatality Review Annual Report –
The Arizona Child Fatality Review Program (CFRP) seeks to reduce child deaths through comprehensive, multidisciplinary reviews of all fatalities involving children under 18 in the state. In 2023, 853 children died in Arizona. The leading causes of death were prematurity, congenital anomalies, motor vehicle crashes, firearm injuries, and suffocation.
Of the 853 deaths, 415 (49%) were determined to be preventable. The most common causes of preventable deaths were motor vehicle crashes, firearm injuries, and suffocation. Substance use was a contributing factor in nearly 1 in 5 deaths, and poverty was a risk factor in many cases.
There were 116 deaths related to abuse or neglect, 71% of which involved children under five years old. Of these, 63 involved substance use. The report highlights a 171% increase in firearm-related child deaths over the past decade, and that all 68 firearm deaths in 2023 were deemed preventable. The CFRP strongly recommends removing firearms from homes with children and promoting safe storage practices.
In 2023, 65 infants died from Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) – 74% due to suffocation, most often in unsafe sleep environments. The report stresses the importance of safe sleep practices, such as placing infants alone, on their back, in a crib.
The report also notes a continuing disparity in child mortality rates by race and ethnicity, with Black and American Indian children facing higher rates than White or Hispanic peers.
More details can be found in the full report here.